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The Trustee Nominating Committee of the Florida Board of Governors for the State University System put forward – and the full Board has ratified and approved – the appointment of Cleve Warren of Jacksonville to Florida A&M University’s Board of Trustees.

Cleve Warren is the President of Essential Capital Finance, Inc., in Jacksonville. He has been involved in state and local government as Executive Director of the Florida Black Business Investment Board under former Gov. Bob Martinez, and in economic development for the City of Jacksonville under former Mayor Ed Austin. He is serving or has served on the boards of the Jacksonville Chamber, Jacksonville Civic Council, and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority. Warren also serves on the boards of charitable and civic organizations. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Warren earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Florida and his master’s in business administration (MBA) from Jacksonville University. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in educational leadership at the University of North Florida.

Each one of the institutions in the State University System has a 13-member Board of Trustees responsible for cost-effective policy, and for implementing and maintaining high-quality education programs consistent with the institution’s mission. The Boards of Trustees also develop processes to meet state policy, budgeting and education standards.

Each trustee applicant undergoes a rigorous interview process with at least two members of the Board of Governors from the Trustee Nominating & Development Committee. Each appointee also completes an intensive orientation with the Board of Governors once appointed.

“The Board of Governors appoints individuals to the university Boards of Trustees who are interested in taking our universities to a level of excellence that helps the State University System and the goals that we share with our outstanding institutions,” said Morteza “Mori” Hosseini of Daytona Beach who serves as Chair of the Trustee Nominating Committee. He is also Vice Chair of the Board of Governors.

The Florida Board of Governors’ appointments are separate from those made to university Boards of Trustees by the Governor of Florida. Six members of a university’s Board of Trustees are appointed in staggered terms by the Governor, and five members are appointed by the Board of Governors. A university’s student body president or designee also serves as a standing member of the Boards of Trustees, as does a faculty member.

Warren’s term is through Jan. 6, 2015. It is subject to Florida Senate confirmation.

Facts about the State University System of Florida and the Florida Board of GovernorsThe State University System of Florida is governed by a 17-member Board of Governors, a constitutional body and led by appointed public servants. The System has 12 universities and a total enrollment of nearly 330,000 students, making it the second-largest public university system in the nation in terms of enrollment (some states have more than one university system). The Florida Constitution (Article IX, Section 7) was amended by the state's voters in 2002 to establish a statewide system of governance for all Florida public universities. As a result, the Florida Board of Governors was created in 2003 to oversee the State University System of Florida. Responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution and ensuring the well-planned coordination and operation of the System. The Board’s 17 members include 14 appointed by the Governor, with three serving by virtue of their designations (a faculty member, a Florida Student Association student representative, and the Florida Commissioner of Education). The Board of Governors appoints a Chancellor who serves as the chief executive and administrative officer of the State University System. For more, including the Board’s Annual Accountability Report that reflects important measurements for the System, see www.flbog.edu. The Board of Governors also released its 2025 Strategic Plan for the System in November 2011, also available from the home page of the web site.